Today's software applications are manufactured with secured network service capability that requires users and computers to verify their identity by signing-in to access secured features within software applications and thereby connecting to authentication services.
Authentication services such as PASSPORT.NET available from MICROSOFT CORPORATION of Redmond, Wash. are becoming an integral part of software applications needing to authenticate users for access to secured features. These authentication services control access to secured features within software applications and provide identity and authentication services for network users. For instance, a secured network fax service used from within a word processing application would require the entry of a username and password to authenticate the identity of a user and authorize use of the network fax service. Once identity is authenticated, the authentication operation acts as an authentication gateway by allowing users to securely access network services within the word processing application without entering a username and password at every network service or website they access during the signed-in session.
However users of a family of software applications each having secured features must still enter a username and password or click a sign-in button to initially reach a signed-in state within each software application. One drawback of current sign-in operations is their pervasiveness, requiring repetitive user intervention with user interface prompts to sign-in for access to secured software features. This must be done every time a user signs-in to one of the software applications with secured features. For instance, if a user wants to access the secured features of WORD, EXCEL, and POWER POINT from MICROSOFT CORPORATION of Redmond, Wash., the user must start each software application and either type in a username and password or click on an interface button to enter a saved password for every application. Because each software application has a separate sign-in prompt, repeatedly signing-in to utilize secured features has an annoying affect on users who access secured features on a regular basis.
It is with respect to these considerations and others that the present invention has been made.